Category: History

“The American Crisis 13” by Thomas Paine (April 1783) “The times that tried men’s souls, are over and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew, gloriously and happily accomplished.” It’s very strange to go from the danger & tumult of war to the safety & tranquility of peace Let’s reflect on the transition… Read more “The American Crisis 13” by Thomas Paine (April 1783)

“The American Crisis 1” by Thomas Paine (December 1776) “These are the times that try men’s souls…” The summer soldier & sunshine patriot won’t be doing too much now but those who continue to fight this winter are the real heroes Tyranny isn’t easy to shove off but it’ll be worth it in the end… Read more “The American Crisis 1” by Thomas Paine (December 1776)

“Common Sense” by Thomas Paine (1776) Chapter 1 – Of the origin and design of government in general, with concise remarks on the English Constitution Society produced by our wants, promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections. encourages intercourse, a patron & a blessing Government produced by wickedness, promotes our happiness negatively by restraining… Read more “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine (1776)

Rather than summarizing every passage (all 182 of them!), I’ll just put a few interesting stories & facts Herodotus gives in the 2nd book of the Histories. If you want every damned detail, I suppose you can read the entire text yourself (go here!) The Histories by Herodotus – Book II, “Euterpe” Egyptian Geography boundaries… Read more The Histories by Herodotus – Book II, “Euterpe”

Thomas Babington Macaulay – Machiavelli Machiavelli is usually referred to as a tempter presenter of an evil principle pushing ambition, revenge, perjury Only got this reputation after The Prince As if these things didn’t exist before the Prince Gunpowder Plot blamed on him, as well as other plots People are/were horrified by what they… Read more Thomas Babington Macaulay – Machiavelli

David Hume – Of the Study of History Hume advises women of the 1700s to study history Women tended to eschew history & the like for fiction Gives a copy of Plutarch’s Parallel Lives to a girl he likes Tells her that it’s fiction She likes it at first until she figures out that Alexander… Read more David Hume – Of the Study of History